Photographic material and process comprising a universal coupler

Abstract

A photographic coupler (A) capable, upon oxidative coupling, of forming a dye that can be washed out of a photographic element containing the coupler upon processing, comprises, in the coupling position, a coupling-off group that comprises, in sequence, a releasable ballasted carbamate timing group and a releasable benzotriazole, triazole or tetrazole development inhibitor group. Such a coupler is useful in photographic silver halide materials and processes to provide improved images.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A photographic element comprising a support bearing at least one photographic silver halide emulsion layer and a naphtholic coupler (A) containing in the 2-position a water-solubilizing group selected from CONH 2 , CONHCH 3  and CONH (CH 2 ) 2  CO 2  C 2  H 5 , the coupler capable upon oxidative coupling of forming a dye that can be washed out of the element upon processing wherein the coupler (A) comprises, in the coupling position, a coupling-off group that comprises in sequence a releasable ballasted carbamate timing group and a releasable benzotriazole, triazole or tetrazole development inhibitor group, said development inhibitor group is released from the coupling-off group by a single cleavage reaction. 
     
     
       2. A photographic element as in claim 1 wherein the coupler is a naphtholic coupler comprising in the 2-position a --COR 1  group that enables the coupler upon oxidative coupling to form a dye that is capable of being washed out of the photographic element upon processing and in the 4-position a coupling-off group represented by the formula: ##STR23## wherein W, X, and Y individually are hydrogen or a substituent; R 1  is selected from the group consisting of NH 2 , NHCH 3  and NH(CH 2 ) 2  CO 2  C 2  H 5  ;   R 2  is unsubstituted or substituted alkyl or unsubstituted or substituted aryl;   Z is a releasable benzotriazole, triazole or tetrazole development inhibitor group;   n is 0 or 1; and   T is O, S, O--CH 2  --, ##STR24## and at least one of W, X, Y, and R 2  is a ballasting group.   
     
     
       3. A photographic element as in claim 1 wherein the coupler is a naphtholic coupler comprising in the 4-position a coupling-off group that is ##STR25## 
     
     
       4. A photographic element as in claim 1 wherein the coupler is ##STR26## 
     
     
       5. A process of forming a photographic image which comprises developing an exposed photographic silver halide emulsion layer with a color developing agent in the presence of a coupler (A) as defined in claim 1. 
     
     
       6. A process of forming a photographic image as in claim 5 wherein the coupler (A) is as defined in claim 3. 
     
     
       7. A process of forming a photographic image as in claim 5 wherein the coupler (A) is as defined in claim 4.